Improvement in nail-plate feeders



, I `2 Sheet's--Sheet1.`

l.-GRNFRTH.` Nail-Plate feeders.

910.154,321, l l Patented yAug. 25, 1874.

2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

,321, PatentedAug. 25,1874.

1HE GRAPHIC C0. PHOTO LUTHJSI; 44 PARK PLACEJLY.

' UNITED 'STATES 4PATENT OFFICE.

'l JOHN CORNFORTH, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

IMPRQVEMENT IN NAIL-PLATE FEEDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,321, dated August 25, 1874 applicationled July 25, 1874.

To all whom #may concern.-

Beit known that I, JOHN CoRNFoRTH, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, England, manufacturer, have invented certain Improvements in Machinery for the Manufacture of Cut-Nails and Tacks, of which thefollowing is a specilication:

My invention has reference to that part of machinery for the manufacture of cut-nails and tacks vby which the feeding into the machine and the turning over of the nail-strip or nail-plate,` from which nails or tacks are to be cut are effected.

The object of my invention is to effect the feeding of the said nail-plate or nail-strip in such a manner that the said nail-strip shall not only beturned over after the cutting of one nail 'and before the cutting of another, but shall also .be moved longitudinally after the cutting of each nail, so as to Withdraw the end of the nail plate or strip from against the cutter during theturning over of the said plate or strip, and its advance after it has been turnedover into the required position for the cutting of the next nail or tack. The strip ,is also raised from the bottom cutter during the time it is `being turned over.

Figure -1 .of the accompanying drawings represents'a side elevation of a nail or tack machine containing feeding mechanism constructed accordingto my invention. Fig; 2 is a plan of `the feeding mechanisn1,drawn to a larger scale; and Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are cross-sections of the same. Fig. 7 is an elevation of a part of the same, and Fig. .Sis a longitudinal section of the feeding-tube.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts. v

In this feeding mechanism the ordinary feeding-rod and tongs or clamps for holding the nail plate or strip are dispensed with. a is the feeding-tube, (shown separately in Fig. 8,) having a flat opening made across it to receive the nailplate or strip b. The said feeding-tube a has a spring nose-piece, a4. The said feeding-tube a is supported inthe crossbearingsc d, the said cross-bearings swiveling on the forked arms c2 d2, the arm c2 beinggcapable of a vibratory motion on its center, as hereinafter described. The forked arm d2 has nomotion. The intermittent rotatorymotion of the feeding-tube a, for the purpose of turning Y over the nail plate or strip b at 'the proper time, is effected by the rotatory collar e on the said tube, the pawl `or click f on the said collar acting in succession upon the ratchetteeth a2 a2 (see Figa') on the feeding-tube a. The alternate semi-rotation' of the collar e is effected by the cord or catgut g, (passed around the said collar 6,) arm '7L on the cutterholder fand spring le. A nail having been cut from the end of the nail-plate v b, the cutter-holder t rises, and the arm h on the said holder lifts the cord or catgut g, which gives a semi-rotation to the collar e, which motion of the collare is transmitted by means of the pawl f to the ratchet-teeth a2 on the feedingtube a, and the said tube is moved through a semi-rotation, and thejnail-plate turned-over, the nail-plate being also Withdrawn and lifted from the cutter by the 'mechanism hereinafter described. yOn the cutter-holder i makingits descending motion, a semi-rotation Vin the opposite direction is communicated to the collar e by the cord g, which is maintained in a state of tension by the spring lc, the pawl f inow sliding over the ratchet-Wheel a2, and hence communicating no motion to the feeding-tube a.. The said feeding-tube novv occupies the position represented in Fig. l, and bythe descent of the cutter l'a nail or tack is cut from the end-of the nail-plate, and so on. Instead of v giving `the semi-rotation to'the feedingtube `by means of an arm on the cutter-holder,

to Which'theV cord or catgut is afxed, the same object may be obtained by means of an independent arm Worked by a cam on the shaft p6 of the machine. In order to prevent the feeding-tube a performing'more than a semi-rotation on each motion of the arm h, the mechanism represented in Fig. 6 is employed. m is a stop-lever, the toothed end of which engages after each' semi-rotation of the feeding-tube with one of the ratchet-teeth a? on the said feeding-tube. The stop-lever mis situated on the opposite side, of the tube a to that on which the paWl f "issituated, and when, by the motion of the rotating collar e, the pavvl f has given a nearly semi-rotation to the feeding-tube a, the rise e2 (see Fig. 5) on the collar e lifts the end m2 of the lever m, and causes its oppositeend to engage with one of the ratchet-teeth a3, and thereby pre vent the further advance or motion of the said feeding-tube a. Instead of transmitting the motion of the rotating collar e to the feedingtube a by the pawl-and-ratchet arrangement described and represented, the saidmotion may be transmitted to the feeding-tube a by means of a Worm and worm-wheel, as represented in Fig. 1A, where w is aworm-wheel on the feeding-tube a, with which worm-Wheel a worm, rv, on the axis of the fixed collar c gears, the said collar c receiving motion from the cord, catgut, or chain g, as lbefore Or,4 in place of the collar c,

explained. a pinion may be substituted, with which pinion a rack worked from the arm h gears. The nose endV a4 of the feeding-tube a is lifted and withdrawn from the fixed cutter during the turning over of the nail-plate by the followingmechanism: n p are two osciln of the machine, and being fixed to an eye, 19T, -in which the vertical axis p8 on the forked arm o2 engages. The forked arm c2 is shown separately in Figs. 3 and 7, and the other forked stationary arm d2 is shown separately in Fig. 4.

When the rise on the cam p5 acts on the arm n, the said armmoves in the direction of the arrow, and a corresponding motion is given to the other arm, p, through the connecting-mdf. As the arm p makes its vibratory motion, the same motion is given to the forked arm c2, the said arm c2 turning on its center p2, and the feeding-tube slides in the bearing d, and is moved toward a horizontal position, so as to withdraw the feeding-tube from the centers, and lift the nose end of said tube from the lower cutter. As the feeding-tube takes a nearly horizontal position, the cross-bearings c d of the forked arms c2 d2 swivel/ on their centers. After the nail-plate has been turned over, and the cam p5 ceases to act upon the arm u, the feeding-tube makes its advance motion, and'v returns to the position represented in Fig. 1. The advance motion of the feeding-tube and parts connected with it is effected by a spring acting on the arm u. The feeding of the nail-plate b is effected in the following manner q is a sliding collar on the feeding-tube a, connected by the spring q2 to the sliding collar r on the said tube a. On opposite sides of the collar r, levers s s are jointed, the longer arms being connected by the links s2 s2 to the sliding collar q. vOn the top of the cross bearing-piece d of the forked the said levers upon the nail-plate b being at the same time tightened. The feeding-tube a continuing'its retiring motion, the spring nosepiece at* slides back upon the stationary nail-plateb, which nail-plate is thus advanced lout of the spring nose-piece a4 a sufficient distance for the cutting of another nail or tack blank on the advance of the feeding-tube. The said feeding-tube a advancing toward the cutters, the ange g3 no longer pressing against the cross-bearing d, the tightness of the gripe of the levers s sis relaxed; and when the flange g3 is arrested by the hooked arm t, the said gripe of the forked levers s s upon the nail-plate is altogether removed, and the nailplate b is carried between the cutters by the gripe of the spring nose piece a4 of the feedingtube a.

Having now described the nature of my invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to -be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise dei tails herein described and illustrated, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my invention; but

I claim as my invention of improvements in machinery forv the manufacture of cut-nails and tacksl. The feed-tube having an intermittent movement of semi-rotation, as described, in combination with the swiveled cross-bearing d and cross-bearing c, swiveled in a yoke or frame, to which an up-and-down movement is imparted, in the manner described, whereby the feed-tube during its movement of rotation is lifted and withdrawn from the cutter, and upon completion of said movement of rotation is advanced again to the cutter, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The feed -tube having an intermittent movement toward and away from the cut-ter, as described, and the sliding collars r q and bearing d, in combinationv with the hooked arm t and the griping-levers s, pivoted to collar r, and connected by links with collar q, for joint operation, as shown and set forth.

3. The feed-tube, supported in cross-bearings, and provided with ratchet-teeth a2, in combination with the collar e, having a movement of semi-rotation alternately in opposite directions, the click f, carried by said collar, and the stop-lever m, for operation as shown and described.

JOHN CORNFORTH.

Witnesses:

RICHARD SKERRETL HENRY SKERRETT,

Of 37 Temple street, Biwnozgham. 

